GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart College lacrosse team hosted its first game as a member of the Northeast Conference this afternoon, defeating Robert Morris University 8-6 at Boswell Field. Senior goalie Peter Zonino highlighted a sterling defensive effort by the Statesmen, stopping 12 of the 18 shots he faced.

Hobart (2-5, 1-0) did not allow the Colonials to score back-to-back goals in the contest. Sophomore defenseman Aaron Moroney posted a game-high three caused turnovers to go with three ground balls. Senior defenseman Peter Bolte, sophomore defensive midfielder Teddy Sisco, and first-year faceoff specialist Jake Shapiro shared team-high honors with four ground balls apiece. Shapiro also had a strong game at the X, winning 12 of the 19 faceoffs he took.

The Statesmen offense was led by senior attackman Jake McHenry's hat trick. Sophomore attackman Matt Opsahl also had three points on a goal and two assists.

For Robert Morris (2-4, 0-2), sophomore attackman James Rahe recorded three goals and sophomore attackman Luke Laszkiewicz added a goal and two assists. Sophomore Nicholas Beaudoin was 7-of-18 on faceoffs but did grab a game-high five ground balls. Senior goalie Brian Bohn recorded 10 saves.

Junior midfielder Taylor Vanderbeek opened the scoring with a shot at Bohn's feet that put Hobart on the board just 36 seconds into the game. Rahe evened the score four minutes later, but at the 7:50 mark Vanderbeek put the Statesmen back in front, taking a feed from senior attackman Cam Stone and firing a bounce shot just under the crossbar. Exactly two minutes later, Laszkiewicz set up first-year attackman JonPatrik Kealey's 10th goal of the season to tie the game for the final time.

While the defense held the Colonials scoreless over the next 23 minutes, McHenry, Opsahl, and junior midfielder Branden Kessler scored for Hobart, sending the home team into halftime with a 5-2 lead.

In the second half, every time Robert Morris scored, the Statesmen answered with a goal of their own. Sophomore midfielder Eric Rankel put a halt to the visitor's scoreless streak just over two minutes into the third quarter, matching Kealey for the team's scoring lead. Junior midfielder Zach Reed assisted on McHenry's second goal of the day, making it a 6-3 game five minutes into the second half. Rahe made it 6-4, but 16 seconds later McHenry, off an assist from Opsahl, netted his team-leading 14th goal of the year. Laszkiewicz used a roll dodge to get free and recorded his 10th goal of the season at 5:13 of the third quarter, but less than two minutes later sophomore midfielder Cooper Stefaniak scored to give Hobart an 8-5 lead heading into the final frame.

Robert Morris got the only goal of the fourth quarter, an extra-man tally by Rahe with 5:26 left, but couldn't manage to get another shot by Zonino in the waning minutes.

Hobart will make its first NEC road trip on Saturday, March 22, visiting defending conference champion Bryant (5-2, 0-0). Faceoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Robert Morris will return home to host Jacksonville next Saturday at noon.